


The Things I Have Heard

by Aliana



Series: Back to Middle-earth Month 2012 [7]
Category: Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Cultural Differences, Gen, POV First Person, Third Age
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-22
Updated: 2012-03-22
Packaged: 2017-11-02 09:09:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/367343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aliana/pseuds/Aliana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What should we believe about the enemy?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Things I Have Heard

**Author's Note:**

> March 9  
>  **B2MeM Challenge:** N41: God (Deep Thoughts); Lord of Gifts, your star shall fall; this is the end this is the freedom call - Battlelore - Into the New World (Song Lyrics)  
>  O65: A Thousand Splendid Suns (Book Titles); March 6: The Haradrim in Ithilien (March 3019, TA)  
>  **Format:** Ficlet (~200 words)  
>  **Genre:** General  
>  **Rating:** General  
>  **Warnings:**  Introspection!  Ambiguity!  
>  **Characters:** Haradric OC

Among these are the things I have heard:

That they know not our nations and sects, but name all from the South as a single people, our tongues as a single tongue.

That their gods have removed themselves from their midst, in anger or indifference, and speak to them not.

That they have no gods at all, and that the only shrines they make in their cities are the tombs of their dead.

That they treat not with the Gift-Giver, save in war, and raise curses against him.

That they slay without pause all who set foot within their borders, sparing neither beast nor bird; that, therefore, we must slay them first, and swiftly.

That they honor not the sun, nor number their days by it, nor do they fear its thirst. (And some say that they feel no thirst at all, in their water-slaked lands.)

That they would reach far across the river and grasp our nations in clenched fists, bleed us dry as bleached bones. That they would do this with no hesitation, for their gods have not blessed them with the gift of doubt.

In water-slaked lands I hold my weapons tightly; with this gift I have been blessed, indeed.


End file.
